Authorities started investigating last year when a relative found pictures of a nude girl on the 34-year-old Nazario’s cell phone. Search warrants yielded more evidence, including videos of Nazario participating in sex acts with girls.

Nazario claimed in his journal to have molested as many as 40 children, although prosecutors identified 25 victims.

Nazario’s lawyer said his client was “sickened” by what he did and was the product of a broken home who had been molested himself as a child.